Marathon Marriage

I say successfully because we honestly did not know if we were going to be able to make it. You see, we did very little no training for this marathon. I know, I know- what were we thinking?! 26.2 miles with NO training?! Are we crazy?! Well, maybe a little bit. In our defense, it’s not as if we signed up on a whim thinking it would just be something casual to do. I mean we knew what we were getting into and even had a training plan mapped out! But between the wedding, the moving, and the commuting, time ran away from us; before we knew it the marathon had arrived and we were not prepared.

While both Nick and I have run races in the past, I truly believe that we could not have done this race without one another. At the beginning, when I was seriously doubting my capabilities, he was so encouraging and kept saying things to keep my spirits up. In the middle, when Nick’s knee started bothering him from a soccer injury, I was right there to walk beside him and let him know that “we’ve got this!” And at the end, when I began limping from pain and exhaustion, he was there to hold me close and give me the push I needed to finish strong.

Finally, as we passed the 26 mile marker and began the .2 mile climb (yeah, nothing like finishing 26.2 miles uphill! Thanks, MCM!), Nick grabbed my hand and we crossed the finish line together. I cannot even begin to tell you the appreciation and love I felt for my husband at that moment and how proud I am of what we accomplished together. I know this is a cherished memory in our marriage that I will hold onto forever.

Aaannnd if that memory doesn’t stick, maybe the one of us having to rent a car and drive ten hours home after our flight was cancelled from Hurricane Sandy will. Let me tell you, there is nothing like sitting in a cramped car after just completing a marathon. At every stop, Nick and I would slowly and painfully walk to the rest area. At one point, Nick jokingly commented that this is probably what we will look like together when we’re eighty.
What I didn’t tell him, however, is that as long as I have my husband by my side, eighty doesn’t look too bad. 🙂